Air Fryer Turnip Fries are easy to make and the perfect alternative to greasy french fries. A healthy side dish that is great for people looking for a lower-carb option to go with a burger! This is also a great low-point Weight Watchers recipe.
WHAT DO TURNIPS TASTE LIKE?
Turnips are root vegetables. The flavor of a turnip when it is eaten raw is mildly spicy and may be bitter and not that tasty.
When you cook turnips the flavor changes into something really delicious. The cooked turnip flavor becomes slightly sweet, earthy, and very similar to potatoes.
TURNIPS VERSUS POTATOES
If you are trying to decide if making turnip fries in the air fryer is worth it…here are some of the differences between turnips and potatoes.
Although both turnips and potatoes are very healthy vegetables, they have very different nutritional makeups.
Turnips have significantly fewer calories than potatoes. One cup of turnips has around 36 calories. One cup of potatoes has about 116 calories! WOW.
If you are looking at the carbohydrates for turnips versus potatoes you will find that one cup of turnips has around 8 grams of carbs while one cup of potatoes has around 26 grams of carbs!
These numbers should tell you that even if you have never eaten turnips before, they are worth a try!
WHY MAKE TURNIP FRIES IN THE AIR FRYER?
Turnip fries could be made in the oven, in the deep fryer, or in the air fryer.
There is one simple reason to make turnip fries in the air fryer…they are better this way!!
The air fryer will result in crispier turnip chips and will use less oil to get those results.
A deep fryer will add many unnecessary calories…and honestly, those things are messy!
An oven is a low-oil option, but I never can get the turnip fries to be as crunchy as I want and it takes a lot longer to cook them.
INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER TURNIP FRIES
Another great thing about these easy turnip fries is there are very few ingredients. You know exactly what you are eating!
- Turnips
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Olive Oil
- Non-aerosol Olive Oil Spray
HOW TO MAKE TURNIP FRIES
Air Fryer Turnip Fries are so easy to make. The seasoning mixture used in this recipe is absolutely perfect for these yummy turnip chips. But you could season these any way you like!
STEP ONE: PREPARE TURNIPS
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F.
Start off by washing and peeling the turnips and cut them into batons.
In a large bowl combine the turnip batons, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and oil. Toss to coat the turnips evenly.
STEP TWO: AIR FRY
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with non-aerosol olive oil spray.
Place the seasoned turnip fries into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don't overcrowd the basket for best results. You will probably need to cook these in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Air fry at 380°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket every 3 minutes. Cook until the fries are golden.
Repeat with remaining turnips.
Serve these HOT with homemade sugar-free ketchup!
If you want to make these in the oven keep reading for those directions!
TIPS FOR THE BEST AIR FRYER TURNIP FRIES
There are some things you can do to make sure these air fryer turnip fries turn out perfect.
- First off, please understand that turnips are a veggie with very high water content. TURNIPS WILL SHRINK while they are cooking. That is why you want to make a big batch because the end fries will be smaller than the size they started out at.
- Starch is what helps veggies crisp up. Turnips are LOW in starch and therefore low in carbs. They won't get as crispy as potato fries. They will still be delicious and will be similar to fries.
- If you want a VERY CRISPY turnip fry you will need to add some starch. You can do this easily by tossing the turnips with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch that is mixed in with the seasonings. Please realize this will change the nutritional profile and they won't be as low-carb. The cooking time will stay the same.
- Spray a little bit of olive oil on the tops of the turnip fries about halfway through air frying time to increase the crispness a bit.
HOW TO MAKE TURNIP FRIES IN THE OVEN
I know that not everyone has an air fryer. Here are some quick directions on how to make turnip fries in the oven!
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and then spray the foil generously with oil.
- Spread the prepared turnip fries out evenly on the foil lined baking sheet. Make sure the fries are not touching or overlapping for the best results.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then flip the fries over and spread them out again. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- Serve hot.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS FOR TURNIP FRIES
If you want a healthy and delicious Weight Watchers side dish then air fryer turnip fries are a good choice.
Once the turnip fries are cooked, divide them into 4 equal portions. Each portion is a serving.
There is 1 point per serving for all three plans. One point for purple, green and blue plans! That is SO MUCH less than homemade french fries!
On the current WeightWatchers Program (2023) it is 1 point per serving.
AIR FRYER TURNIP FRIES RECIPE TO PRINT
You can print off the complete ingredients and instructions for these amazing air fryer turnip fries via the recipe card below.
If you make this recipe and love it I would really appreciate if you could leave a 5-star rating!
Air Fryer Turnip Fries are easy to make and a great lower carb, lower calorie option for french fries.
- 2 lbs. Turnips peeled and cut into batons (about 4 medium sized)
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Non-aerosol Olive Oil Spray
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Wash and peel the turnips and cut then into batons.
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In a large bowl combine turnip batons, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and oil. Toss to coat evenly.
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Preheat your air fryer to 380F, if your air fryer has a preheat option. If not, ignore this step.
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Spray air fryer basket lightly with olive oil, after it has preheated.
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Place the season turnip fries in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. You will have to do this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
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Air fry at 380F for 10 minutes, shaking basket every 3 minutes, until the turnip fries are golden.
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Repeat with the remaining batch of fries.
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Serve hot.
Oven Method:
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil. Spray generously with oil. Spread the turnip fries out evenly on the baking sheet, in a single layer, making sure that the fries are not touching or overlapping each other. Bake for 15 minutes at 400F. Flip the fries. Spread them out again, and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are golden. Serve hot.
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Notes:Â
- Turnips have a high water content, so the fries will shrink and shrivel up as they air fry.
- Turnips are low on starch and will not crisp up as much as a potato fry. If you want crispier fries, you can toss the fries with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch along with the seasoning before you air fry. The nutritional profile will change and it will no longer be a low-carb recipe. The air frying time stays the same.
If you follow the original recipe and air fry then divide the fries into 4 equal portions. Each portion is a serving. There is 1 point per serving for green, blue and purple plans.
On the current WeightWatchers Program (2023) it is 1 point per serving.
If you love unusual vegetable recipes, be sure to check these out:
- Air Fryer Eggplant Chips
- Breaded Bell Pepper Strips in the Air Fryer
- Tender and Crispy Brussels Sprouts in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Carrot Chips
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[…] luck would have it, turnips are much lower in carbs and calories than potatoes. In fact, one cup of turnips boasts just 36 calories vs. 1 cup of potatoes weighing in at 116 calories. That’s a big […]